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December 10, 2010

Winter Bloom Brings Past Seasons' Secrets

A garden isn’t a garden without the tender love and care of a gardener. The effort and work that a gardener puts into a garden is what makes it beautiful.

Eva discovers a neglected walled garden. She asks the owner, Mrs. Prendergast, also rumored to have murdered her husband, if she can care for it. With the help of others, the garden is brought back to life. This process also helps the individual workers heal from their own problems and soon friendships form.

I’m not a gardener with a green thumb by any means. I look at a plastic flower and it dies. But author Tara Heavey did a wonderful job developing each character and engaging the reader. The cover is misleading, as it gives the idea that it’s a light chick lit read. We all know not to judge a book by its cover though, right? It is actually a story that will draw you in with light suspense as each individual character’s history is revealed. Topics such as the sudden loss of a loved one, abuse, the Holocaust, and unwanted pregnancies are covered in the 369 pages.

There are reader discussion questions and an author Q&A at the very end of the book. I recommend Winter Bloom for a book club selection.